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    Q&A
            Council Member Brannan inquires about NYCHA's rent collection progress and rental arrears
3:44:04
·
103 sec
Council Member Justin Brannan asks about NYCHA's progress on rental arrears and current rent collection rate. NYCHA CFO Annika Lescott-Martinez responds with positive updates on rent collection efforts and the implementation of various rental arrears programs.
- Tenant rent arrears balance decreased by $104 million to $441 million as of April 30, 2025
 - NYCHA received and applied significant funds from emergency rental arrears programs and COVID rental assistance
 - The Home Art program recently launched, applying $84.1 million to tenant accounts and impacting 29,271 households
 
                                
                                    Justin Brannan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:44:04
                                        
                                        Thank you.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:05
                                        
                                        Just have a couple of more.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:06
                                        
                                        I wanted to talk about rent collection.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:09
                                        
                                        I know that NYCHA's budget projects over $1,000,000,000 in tenant rental revenue in '25 and $920,000,000 in '26.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:19
                                        
                                        Can you give us an update on the progress you're making with rental arrears?
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:23
                                        
                                        And so far in your fiscal year, how is NYCHA's rental collection rate?
                                    
                                
                                    Annika Lescott-Martinez
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            3:44:30
                                        
                                        Thank you, chair, for that question.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:33
                                        
                                        We have great news to share on the rent collection front.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:36
                                        
                                        So as of 04/30/2025, our tenant rent arrears balance is $441,000,000 When we came last and spoke to you, that number was $104,000,000 higher.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:50
                                        
                                        So we have been making great strides implementing our various rental arrears programs with our tenants.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:44:58
                                        
                                        We have already received 161,000,000 in emergency rental arrears program funds, the majority of which as Lisa mentioned in her testimony have been applied.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:45:13
                                        
                                        On the COVID rental assistance program through state OTDA, we've received $34,500,000 and already credited $32,600,000 to tenant accounts.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:45:25
                                        
                                        And lastly, which is a new development in the month of April, our home art program has finally gotten off the ground.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:45:31
                                        
                                        We've been working closely with our city partners to implement that federal funding, and we have applied $84,100,000 to tenant accounts.
                                    
                                            
                                            3:45:40
                                        
                                        So just this month even 29,271 households are seeing the impact of those programs.